Flat-bottom ed boat



M. s. POOL.

4 FLAT BOTTOMED BOAT.- No. 412,413. T Patented Oct. 8, 1889.

- UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MARTIN SI-IUFORD POOL, OF BUFORD, GEORGIA.

FLAT-BOTTOM ED BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,413, dated October8, 1889.

Application filed June 28, 1889. Serial No. 315,851. (No model.)

'To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARriN- SHUFORD POOL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Buford, in the county of Gwinnett and State ofGeorgia, have invented a new and useful Flat-Bottom Boat, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to flat-bottom boats of that class which are usedprincipally for ferrying purposes; and it has for its object to providea boat of this class which may be easily and inexpensively constructed,and which shall possess superior advantages in point of strength andgeneral utility.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination ofparts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and par ticularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedferry-boat, a part of the flooring of the same having been removed. Fig.2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view.Fig. 4 is an end view. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken onthe line a; a; in Fig. 4.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The frame of my improved ferry-boat consists, essentially, of thehead-blocks 1 1 and the side beams 2 2, forming the gunwales. The saidside beams are each composed of a series of planks 3 8, placed closelytogether, with the ends of the planks of the several layers breakingjoints with each other, as will be clearly seen by reference to thedrawings, the said planks being firmly pinned or bolted together. Theadjacent ends of the planks of each layer are beveled, as will be seenat 4, and a wedge-shaped space 5 is thus left at each joint. Into thesespaces wedges 6 are driven from the under edges of the planks in anupward direction, thus making exceedingly tight and water-proof joints,and in an exceedingly simple and inexpensive manner.

The ends of the compound side beams 2 2 are tenoned to enter mortises 7in the headblocks 1 1. Said mortises are beveled outwardly, as will beseen in Fig. 5, and wedges 8 are driven into the tenoned ends of theside beams, which are thereby retained securely in the said mortises.

Aflooring-frame 9 is suitably constructed in the frame composed by thehead-blocks and the side beams, and under the said floorframe is laidthe bottom 10, which is composed of two layers of planks breaking jointswith each other, so as to make a water-tight bottom without necessityfor calking, said flooring-planks being nailed or otherwise secureddirectly to the flooring-frame, as well as to the compound side beams ofthe main frame. A floor 11 is laid 'upon the upper side of theflooring-frame, which latter is inclined at both ends in an upwarddirection to the upper edges of the head-blocks.

Longitudinal protecting-cleats 12 may be secured over the joints betweenthe bottom planks and the side beams, and protecting cleats 13 maylikewise be arranged upon. the upper edges of the gunwales. Rails 14 maylikewise be suitably arranged to extend entirely or partly along theouter edges of the gunwales.

It has heretofore been customary to construct the side beams of theclass of ferryboats to which my invention belongs from a single log, anddifficulty is frequently experienced in obtaining a perfectly sound logof the requisite size, and even when this can be had it can be shapedand put into place only with considerable trouble and expense. By myinvention these difficulties are obviated, inasmuch as smaller pieces ofplank are utilized in the construction of the side beams, which, whenproperly made according to my invention, will be found quite as durableand fully as strong as those constructed of a single log. By this methodof construct-ion I am also enabled to select the timber more carefully,using only the perfectly sound portions. By the herein-described methodof constructing the side beam strong and water-tight j oint-s are alsosecured.

The general construction of my improved ferry-boat is simple andcomparatively inexpensive, and the boat will be found durable and usefulin operation.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

1. In a fiat-bottom boat, the herein-described frame-beams, composed ofseveral layers of planks breaking joints with each other, and havingbeveled ends, in combination with wedges driven upwardly into the jointsbetween the adjacent ends of the planks, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fiat-bottom boat, the herein-described frame-beams, composed ofseveral layers of planks breaking joints with each other, and wedgesdriven upwardly into the joints between the adjacent ends of theplanks,in combination with the head-blocks having mortises to receive thetenoned ends of said side beams, and the bottom planks secured to theunder sides of the side beams, thereby retaining the wedges in positionin their respective joints, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the head-blocks having outwardly-beveledmortises, of the side beams composed of several layers of planksbreaking joints with each other, and having tenoned ends entering thesaid mortises, and the wedges driven into the outer ends of said tenons,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the head-blocks, the side beams composed ofseveral layers of planks breaking joints with each other and havingwedges driven upwardly into the joints between the adjacent ends of theplanks, the bottom frame, the bottom planks secured to the under side ofthe latter and to the lower edges of the side beams, and the floor laidupon the upper side of the said flooring-frame, substantially as setforth.

5. In a flat-bottom boat, the combination of the mortised head-blocks,the tenoned side beams composed of several layers of planks breakingjoints with each other, and having wedges driven upwardly into thejoints between the adjacent ends of the planks, the flooring frame, thetwo layers of bottom planks secured to the latter and to the lower edgesof the side beams and breaking joints with each other, the guard-cleatssecured over the joints between the bottom planks and the side beams andon the upper edges of the latter, the floor and the railings, allarranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein shownand specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

\Vitnesses:

S. J. PATTILLO, W. S. DANSBY.

